Day 2, Wednesday 25 April

The day started with a conclusion of yesterday’s programme: Panel discussion on sustainable resource mobilization. The first speaker, Mr. Robert Hecht, UNAIDS concluded his delivery with the statement, " Money alone cannot solve the HIV pandemic but without it little can be done."

Lack of special budget for HIV/AIDS

Another speaker, B. Bakiono from Burkina Faso said, all African governments have programmes to fight HIV/AIDS, but have no specific budget for HIV/AIDS. Proper management of grants. According to him, a national budget to fight AIDS should be incorporated into national budgets. He recommended mobilizing communities and grassroots. In his conclusion, he called on governments not to use the youth in mobilizing resource but also in resource distribution.

Dr. Moustapha Gueye of AFRICASO, Senegal, stressed two points. First, we have not been successful in overcoming HIV/AIDS. Second, the success of the battle lies in communities and grassroots involvement. These sectors are not considered in the sharing of resources, thereby increasing scarcity of resources at these levels.

Ohio University offers free training session

Egondu Rosemary Onyejekwe, of the Ohio University School of Public Health, spoke on developing an electronic repository. According to her, utilizing the Internet as a tool to inform is necessary. On behalf of the Ohio University, she announced an offer by her organization to train relevant personnel of African member states.

Day 2 Plenary

IPAA’s achievements, yet more work

Dr. Meskerem Grunitzky-Bekele, UNAIDS, opened the plenary session on international partnership on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and ORID. Describing the status of International Partnership Against AIDS (IPAA) and its achievements, Dr. Grunitzky-Bekele explained that IPAA played a global role, and has played a part in has encouraging enhanced funding in the global partnership effort.

IPAA has worked with OAU member states to develop national action committees to address HIV/AIDS. She cited examples of Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, and Nigeria -- whose government has been able to contribute US$ 40 million.

One of the challenges facing IPAA is empowering newly established World bodies to promote research that is specific to Africa. Also, there is need for the creation of an emergency plan.

12 million children likely to suffer

"More than a thousand children die daily and over ninety percent are from Africa." This was part of a presentation by Dr. Rima Sallah, Regional Director, West & Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO), UNICEF in the plenary session on IPAA.

Explaining the importance to involve children in the war against HIV/AIDS, TB and other Related Infectious Diseases. She gave a figure of the damage to the Continent. "By the end of this year, about 12 million children will be orphaned by AIDS and neglected to a life of deprivation and suffering."

IPAA has achieved a lot, according to her. Nevertheless, there are some challenges. Such as:

• Expanding and maintaining political commitment

• Consideration of other forms of partnership other than international partnership.

• Increase partnership with the private sector.

• Mobilizing resources.

The issue of poverty and human rights, monitoring and evaluation must be continually addressed. As for IPAA, it is reviewing its own strategy.

Change is sometimes necessary

Dr. Moustapha Gueye of AFRICASO, Senegal, made a presentation on partnership with civil society organizations. In his delivery, he said that sixty percent of the mobilized resources should reach the communities and grassroots.

He said, "When establishing partnership, we must avoid competition. Representatives of different bodies present will agree with me that partnership will lead to a civil society that will be well informed."

According to Gueye, change is sometimes necessary. Ministers of health should work in partnership with the civil society in each member country. Concluding, he stated that work must continue with all transparency following the Abuja Declaration.

International community not doing enough

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs of Harvard University spoke to the delegates from the standpoint of an economist. In a brief statement he noted that, " All these efforts will not come into fruition without good financing."

According to the Professor, who chairs WHO’s Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, there is no way Africa can carry the bulk on its own resources. The rich countries need to support.

Explaining the ratio of total global financial effort, he likened it to the rich countries spending one penny from their two Dollars. He called on the international community to increase their spending on HIV/AIDS and make it available.

US$ 5 billion will be required to support Africa in the war against HIV/AIDS. He suggested the ressources come in the form of grants and that existing debts be recycled into grants.

2^nd part, Plenary session

The draft deed

African Treatment option

The most important event in the Ministerial/Technical Meeting is the presentation and discussion of the draft declaration. The Minister of Health, Swaziland, Dr. P. Dlamini was the first delegate to indicate her observations on the document.

She indicated the draft should promote the welfare of the African people. She identified the importance adverse role poverty has been playing and how significant it is to address it evenly.

In addition, she called attention to local treatments. In her words, " Before the penicillin and vaccines came, Africa had local treatments. We need to reflect into this area, in Africa for Africans by Africans."

Issues relevant to ILO mandate

Ms. Regina Amadi-Njoku, Regional Director,ILO delivered a brief statement at the meeting. She congratulated the OAU for the far-reaching and action-oriented Draft Declaration on HIV/AIDS, TB and other related diseases.

According to Ms. Amadi-Njoku, the Draft Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS deals with issues relevant to ILO’s mandate and concerns, namely:

• discrimination

• loss of human capital

• reduction of labour productivity

• pivoted roles of the private sector

• trade unions

• gender dimensions of HIV/AIDS

• respect for human rights and workers rights, particularly the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS

She conveyed their participation with OAU, UNAIDS and other partners at the ADF meeting in December 2000 as recognized in this Draft Declaration. As well as the Code of Practice and the World of Work which the organization is presently developing and will present at the forthcoming UN General Assembly on AIDS. This is to further strengthen activities at the workplace with private sector, trade unions and governments.

The Draft code was presented to and endorsed by the OAU and Social Affairs Commission at Yamoussoukro, Cote D’Ivoire in April. Mrs.Amdi-Njoku expressed gratitude to President Olusegun Obasanjo and the OAU for organizing this Summit.

Non-inclusion of migrants’ rights.

The International Organization for Migrations (IOM) spokesperson noted that migrants were neglected in the draft. The majority of immigrants are children and women who, in order to augment income, end up in prostitution, house help and cheap labour.

These women and children face sexual harassments, rape and forced prostitution. Having come into a country illegally, they have no access to medical attention and have to resort to other dangerous alternatives. This, she indicated has increased the spread of HIV/AIDS. The rights of migrants need to be adopted: access to health services and freedom from sexual harassment.

Omission of ILO

The Minister of Health of Cote D’Ivoire identified the need for specific structures to be set up by governments to destroy this plague. Taking a cue from the nation’s implementation of a Ministry of AIDS and how it has effectively assisted in curbing the pandemic, she referred to paragraph 24 of the document, where the ILO was omitted.

Commit our leaders

The Minister of Health of Mali related the 15 % budget geared towards AIDS as not realistic. "So we must commit our leaders to do more." Another one million is being lost to Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT). The AIDS pandemic is tied to a national catastrophe. "We need to save the lives of our children, remove barriers to access."

Leaders can declare AIDS as an exception

The Minister of Health of Egypt referring to item 18, declared that 15% of annual budget should be made available from all resources for the improvement of a comprehensive multi-sectorial response, and that an appropriate and adequate portion of this amount at the disposal of the National Commissions/Council is not enough to tackle the pandemic. He requested for a reviewing of this item. Secondly, item 24 SHOULD INCLUDE MORE DONORS.

Food and Nutritioon of high priority

According to the Minister of Health of Congo, food and nutrition was highly omitted. A resolution must come out clearly on food, which is a major tool in fighting the question of HIV/AIDS, TB and other related diseases.

She mentioned the need to research. Taking a clue from Kenya and Swaziland, resources should be made available in order to cope. Government’s commitment to budget should be addressed.

The draft must have a human face.

The Minister of Health of Botswana, said that there must be a Consensus effort to stop human development threat.

Dr. M. Tshabalala, the Minister of Health of South Africa told the delegates that the Southern Africa Health Ministers had held a pre–conference meeting highlighting what they think should include in the draft document. They would want to see good presentation of Africa at UNGASS. She commended the document, saying that it was easy to read.

The last speaker, the Minister of Health of Gabon, recommended that discrimination in the distribution of antiretroviral drugs should be addressed.

The African Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other Related Infectious Diseases (ORID) got off in Abuja, the Nigerian capital Monday after a slow start caused by hitches in delegates' accreditation and late arrival of dignitaries.

Nigerian Vice President, Abubakar Atiku declared the summit open at about 11:30 am Nigerian time (GMT +1), with a call to African leaders to see the summit as "the beginning of our collective response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic."

The summit is unique, he noted, "as it is the first time that African leaders are coming together with other interested parties to discuss how to arrest the latest epidemic that is ravaging the people of our dear continent".

The ceremony, which attracted a quiet audience of about 2,000 people, included ministers of health, education, labour and finance from various African nations, other stakeholders including representatives of civil society, people living with HIV/AIDS, youth groups, pharma- ceutical companies and officials of various United Nations agencies and other multilateral institutions.

Earlier, Nigeria's health minister, Prof. Alphonsus Nwosu, in his welcome address called for a collective effort to prepare a framework document and summit strategy for confronting HIV/AIDS, TB and other related diseases in Africa.

According to him, Africa must identify and address the determinants and driving forces of the epidemic in the continent. Top among these forces are excruciating poverty and heavy debt peonage situation.

"This matter must be seriously addressed by the summit if Africa is to free itself from the clutches of disease especially those due to HIV infection and break the vicious cycle of disease and underdevel- opment", he said.

A HIV+ student nurse, Miss Yinka Jegede, made a statement on behalf of people living with HIV or AIDS in Africa. Jegede, secretary- gen- eral of the Nigerian AIDS Alliance, a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS canvassed more intensive participation of PWHAs in the fight against AIDS.

"PLWHAs stand at the centre of any community efforts to overcome the pandemic. Their rights must be respected in full and their leadership potential recognised in all facets of public life. We, PLWHA must be involved in national policymaking, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and our leadership potential should be recognized", she told the audience at the International Conference Centre, the confer- ence venue.

According to her, the lack of visibility of persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially those in social or political positions, is driv- ing the epidemic underground, creating an environment of denial and fear. She also called attention to the rampant gross violation of the rights of PLWHAs, citing the well-publicised case of Mrs. Georgina Ahamefule in Nigeria, who was tested without her knowledge and sacked because of her HIV status.

The Secretary-General of Organization of Africa Unity, Dr. Salim Ah- med Salim in his address expressed the OAU's appreciation to Presi- dent Olusegun Obasanjo and the people of Nigeria, not forgetting to mention that the city of Abuja is increasingly becoming an important venue for the deliberation of critical issues concerning the destiny of African people.

Salim was quick to point out that though the Abuja was only the lat- est in a long string of AIDS-related meetings and conferences, it was a summit with a difference.

"Our leaders will be convening in Abuja in the next two days, this time not to make yet another resolution or declaration, and not even to simply underscore the gravity of the spectre in our midst. All those have already been done sufficiently. The Abuja Summit must be a Summit with a difference. It is intended to forge a common front for action. It should be an action-oriented summit aiming at pooling to- gether, in a strategic manner, the continental energies and those of our partners in confronting this deadly pandemic", he said.

The first two days of the four-day summit are devoted to plenary ses- sions by ministers and experts from various African countries. Over 20 African heads of states and governments are expected at the second leg of the summit - the heads of states' summit - which kicks off on Thursday. Among expected dignitaries are UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former US President Bill Clinton.